Pork Tenderloin seasoned with a rub, seared until golden then oven baked in an incredible Honey Garlic Sauce until it’s sticky on the outside and juicy on the inside! A quick and easy pork fillet recipe with high returns for very minimal effort.
Pork tenderloin recipe
Pork tenderloin is like chicken breast – it’s a lean, tender cut of meat and when cooked just right, it’s juicy and succulent.
It is also easy to overcook, and overcooked tenderloin = dry and bland.
Hence the beauty of this pork tenderloin recipe. It’s unbelievable when the pork is cooked perfectly.
But if you go slightly over, no one’s going to notice with this outrageously delicious honey garlic sauce!
What you need
VERY few ingredients! This is another one of those recipes with high returns for low effort – minimal ingredients, less than 10 minutes of active effort for incredible flavours!
How to cook pork tenderloin
The best way to cook pork tenderloin is to start it on the stove and finish it in the oven. Sear the pork first to give it a nice crust (remember, colour = flavour 🙌🏻) then finish cooking it in the oven.
Can’t it be cooked entirely on the stove??
Yep, it sure can, but the outside ring of the tenderloin will be cooked more than ideal by the time the centre is just cooked. Reduce this uneven cooking by bringing the pork to room temperature before cooking.
What about in the oven?
Again, yep, you sure can, but you won’t get the same colour on the surface of the tenderloin so you’ll notice a loss of flavour. But with a sauce this good, it’s forgivable to skip the initial sear! 😇 Directions in the recipe notes.
Look at that sauce glazing the pork!!! Doesn’t it look incredible??!
The Honey Garlic Sauce used in this pork tenderloin recipe has made an appearance in various forms on my website, such as with Salmon, Chicken Breast and as a dipping sauce for the crispiest ever Baked Chicken Wings.
It’s just one of those terrific back pocket sauces that works with virtually every protein. Just a few ingredients that totally transforms when simmered on the stove into a savoury-sweet sauce.
It’s inevitable that it will make yet another appearance one of these days!
What to serve with pork tenderloin
Though you cannot see it properly in the photo above, that yellow/green blur in the background is this Lemon Potato Salad which I added steamed green beans to. A two-in-one carb + veg side that keeps for days, I’m a big fan of those! Here’s a few more:
-
Kale and Quinoa Salad and Garlic Butter Rice with Kale (kale is a nutrition powerhouse and these are 2 seriously tasty ways to eat it!)
Otherwise, serve it with a fresh garden salad tossed with a fresh vinaigrette like French, Italian or the everyday salad dressing used in this Cabbage Salad.
I’d also recommend something to slop up the sauce with – bread, mashed potato, or Cauliflower Mash. What looks like mash in the photo below is actually Mashed Cauliflower. Carb free, creamy smooth indulgence – you’ll see it in the recipe video! ~ N x ❤️
Watch how to make it
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Pork Tenderloin with Honey Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 pork tenderloin (pork fillet), 500g/1lb each (Note 1)
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil (or butter)
- 3 garlic cloves , very finely chopped
Pork Tenderloin Rub:
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Honey Garlic Sauce:
- 3 tbsp cider vinegar (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, light or all purpose (Note 2)
- 1/2 cup honey (or maple syrup)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Mix Sauce ingredients together.
- Mix Rub ingredients then sprinkle over the pork.
- Heat oil in a large oven proof skillet (Note 3) over high heat. Add pork and sear until golden all over.
- When pork is almost seared, push to the side, add garlic and cook until golden.
- Pour sauce in. Turn pork once, then immediately transfer to the oven.
- Roast 15 - 18 minutes or until the internal temperature is 68C / 155F (Note 4).
- Remove pork onto plate, cover loosely with foil and rest 5 minutes.
- Place skillet with sauce on stove over medium high heat, simmer rapidly for 3 minutes until liquid reduces down to thin syrup.
- Remove from stove, put pork in and turn to coat in sauce.
- Cut pork into thick slices and serve with sauce!
Recipe Notes:
- Cider vinegar - white wine vinegar, rice vinegar or champagne vinegar. OR 2 tbsp normal white vinegar.
- Soy Sauce - Use light or all purpose. Do not use dark soy sauce or sweet soy sauce.
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
I love the robe so much, I got another one and put his name on it. Poor boy, now he’s been named and shamed….😂
AnnieB says
I make this every couple of weeks and everyone loves it. I don’t change a thing and it comes out perfect every time. Thanks!
Nagi says
So glad you enjoyed it, Annie! N x
NAK says
So easy and delicious! One of our local Thai restaurants has a crispy honey chicken and the sauce tasted just like that so now I don’t need to get my ‘chicken candy’ fix from them any longer because I can make this much more healthy version with pork tenderloin and this sauce.
Nagi says
It’s a good one and you’re right…so easy! So glad you enjoyed it! N x
Jake Spurdle says
Hi, could I season the pork earlier in the day, or best not too?
Pat says
Hi Nagi can you use kikkomans soy sauce it doesn’t say if it’s light or dark on the bottle x
Nagi says
Hi Pat…you definitely can! Kikkoman is an all-purpose soy sauce close in flavour to light soy but has a bit more colour. There are details about substituting Asian ingredients on my post here if you even have similar questions: Thanks! https://www.recipetineats.com/asian-market-grocery-store-shopping-list/
Windy L Silva says
This is delicious!! My picky family loved it. Thank you for the recipe.
Nagi says
You are welcome Windy! N x
rosemary Hamann says
Fast and easy. delicious!!!!
Ian Fowler says
Fantastic recipe. I am by no means a competent coo but the meat came out perfect. Juicy and tender with lots of flavour. A great recipe!
Pam Smith says
Excellent!! Quick, Easy and delicious!! So tender and is a bit sweet so you can cut that, but this will be a top if the list favorite in our house
Nagi says
Thanks! N x
MaryMary Buetow says
Made this tonight. So delicious! The whole family loved that sauce. I’ll definitely make this again. Thank you.
Nagi says
Thanks! N x
Mai Rose says
I followed the recipe faithfully. Delicious but oh my goodness, way too sweet.
Debs Fellowes says
This was superb, I made it last night and it worked really well, first time cooking a tenderloin and it was so delicious!
Jennifer Green says
I loved this recipe, and it was so quick to put together after all the prep was done. I paired mine with stir fried Kai Lan and some red rice. Would definitely make again, however if anything I found it a smidge too sweet for me… am I best to increase the soy and apple cider vinegar to bring the sweetness down a little next time?
Nicola says
I have made this several times. It has become a family favourite. It’s so easy to make and virtually foolproof if you follow the recipe. Pork is moist and melt in the mouth every time and the sauce is next level! Goes down a treat with creamy mashed potatoes, roasted carrots and steamed broccoli.
Nagi says
Thanks! N x
Stephen McGovern says
I made this pork tenderloin with garlic honey sauce tonight. It was fabulous!! I had to use a sugar free ‘honey’ but it was the very best pork I’ve had in years!! Thank you!
Nagi says
Thanks! N x
Melissa A Cerroni says
Wonderful flavor. I had to use the substitute of balsamic vinegar and maple syrup since it was all I had but still turned out so tender!
Nagi says
Thanks! N x
Sume says
The smallest pork tenderloin I could find was 2.25 lbs. Should I try to split it or just cook a little longer in the oven?
Nagi says
Are you sure it’s a tenderloin and not a loin? They are usually about 1 pound. If it is a tenderloin then I would split it in half. N x
Diane says
Such a simple recipe but it makes the most tender pork.
Super easy to follow and that sauce!!!
Thanks so much Nagi!
neil says
Nagi, great tasting pork loin but you need to say what temp to set the oven. Most people don’t have or use a thermometer to test internal meat temperatures. What degrees and how long approximately.
Thanks,
Nagi says
Hi Neil…the oven temperature is in Step 1 and the cook time in Step 7. Enjoy! N x
Adele says
As usual your recipe turns out just as it should, my pork was so tender and flavoursome and it was so easy, definitely one to make again.
Nagi says
Well done! 😄 N x
Lisa Camarra says
I’ve made this like 8 times so far and it is amazing each time! I tried once to substitute Maple syrup for honey because I didn’t have enough honey but it was a little too sweet. Other than that this is the best recipe I’ve made in a long time and my go to! I usually love to substitute things, but this is one recipe where I stick with it as it is written! ( I do put smoked paprika in there though! 😬)
Kathleen Nolan says
Made this last night…OMG so delicious. We could eat the sauce with a spoon it wea so good. Thank you Nagi.
Nagi says
Glad you enjoyed it! Nx❤️